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Houston Astros left fielder Jose Altuve is currently day-to-day with a hamstring injury, but an IL stint could be imminent. Altuve was out of the lineup during Houston's 6-0 victory over the Reds, but if his absence will extend into the week, the Astros may have no choice but to place the former MVP on the injured list. If Altuve hits the IL, Shay Whitcomb should be the unquestioned choice to replace him.
Whitcomb had a cup of coffee with the Astros last season. The versatile utility player appeared in 20 games during the final month of the 2024 season and hit .220/.304/.293. Whitcomb did not do enough during spring training to earn consideration for a spot on the Astros Opening Day roster, but his early-season performance with the Sugar Land Space Cowboys warrants consideration given Houston's current injury situation.
Jose Altuve injury watch has Astros prospect Shay Whitcomb on the verge of call-up
Whitcomb has appeared in 38 games for the Space Cowboys this season and leads the team in home runs. The right-handed hitter has powered nine round trippers out of the ballpark this season and owns an impressive .531 slugging percentage. In addition to the nine homers, Whitcomb also has 13 doubles. In fact, 24 of his 38 hits in the minors this season have gone for extra bases.
Whitcomb is also an incredibly versatile fielder. The 26-year-old has seen time at first and third base as well as shortstop while also logging several starts in both right and left field. Given the Astros need for positional versatility with Yordan Alvarez on the IL already, adding Whitcomb would allow Joe Espada to mix and match numerous lineups without being pigeonholed.
Whitcomb's lack of success during his brief stint in the big leagues will undoubtedly have Astros fans questioning the legitimacy of such a move, but he's one of the few options Houston can turn to given the team's current roster construction. The Astros have already called up catcher César Salazar, and with Alvarez, Pedro León, and Taylor Trammell on the IL, Houston will have no other realistic alternative if Altuve requires time away from the active roster.
Whitcomb won't require an everyday spot in the Astros lineup, and this could be exactly the type of scenario that would allow him to thrive. With the recent struggles of Chas McCormick, Brendan Rodgers, and Cam Smith, what do the Astros have to lose?